Aviation

Financial Aid for Aviation Students

The first step in receiving Federal financial aid for all programs is to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This can be done at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 each year. Federal Perkins Loan funds, Federal SEOG funds, Federal and State Work-Study funds, and Alliss Scholarship funds are limited, and awarded on a first come first served basis for those students who qualify. These funds are usually exhausted by MSU’s priority processing date of March 15.

FAFSA Results

Student Financial Services will receive the results from the FAFSA at approximately the same time the student receives their Student Aid Report from the Department of Education. Student Financial Services will determine the types of Federal and/or State financial aid for which the student is eligible. The student will be sent an email regarding their award notice and steps needed to complete the Student Response Form.

Additional Costs

Students enrolled in Aviation Flight Training Labs have additional costs that the average student does not incur.

Additional Aid for Flight Training Labs

Aviation students are eligible to receive additional aid for flight training labs under certain conditions. Aviation students must be enrolled for the specific flight training lab for which they are requesting funding, during the term for which they are requesting funds; (i.e. you must register for Private Pilot Flight Lab during the same semester you request additional funding for Private Pilot Flight Lab). The Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR) as it pertains to Federal Financial Aid states: “an institution may disburse Title IV Higher Education Assistance program funds [financial aid] to a student or parent for a payment period onlyif the student is enrolled for classes for that payment period and is eligible to receive those funds.” [34 CFR, 668.164(b)(1)] 34 CFR also states an institution may contract with another institution to provide up to 50 percent of the training for a program. [34 CFR, 668.5] Minnesota State University, Mankato has contracted with North Star Aviation to provide the flight training for aviation students. Therefore, to receive funding for flight training labs, both conditions must be met. A student must be registered for the specific flight training lab for which they are requesting funding during the same semester the student requests additional funding AND the student must be flying those flight training hours with North Star Aviation.

Registration Guidelines

Aviation students must receive both academic and financial approval to register in flight lab courses. A Permission to Register form is used to facilitate and track this approval, and is obtained from the Aviation Department for each semester. Once both academic and financial approval has been given, electronic permission will be given for the student to complete the registration process. All flight lab registrations must be completed by the fifth day of the semester. Aviation students must follow the same registration guidelines for flight labs as all other students follow for classes in other majors, i.e. no new registrations will be taken by the Registrar’s Office for flight labs after the initial 5-day drop/add period for the academic term.

Each semester, students enrolled in flight lab courses are required to abide by the Aviation Flight Lab Terms of Agreement with regard to academic preparedness, attendance, course completion, additional instruction, and financial obligation. Charges for flight labs are added to student accounts at time of registration and are subject to the same tuition obligation date and refund consideration as tuition and fees, regardless of actual flight hours logged. Please refer to published information about Dropping Courses and Official Withdrawal for specific details